Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 14.djvu/194

A. There might be a difficulty in proving that; but if the ticket, in addition to the other matter which was on it, had printed upon it, "All rights reserved," or something of that sort, it would be a sufficient notice.

STRANGE ANIMAL-FRIENDSHIPS.

WHY married folk, so ill-mated as to agree only to differ, should be said to lead a cat-and-dog life, is not very clear, since those household pets, being intelligent, affectionate, cheerful, and sociable creatures, very frequently contrive to live harmoniously enough together. The Aston Hall cat, that ate, associated, and slept, with a huge bloodhound, only did what innumerable cats have done. Such companionships are too common to be reckoned among strange animal-friendships, such as that most singular instance of attachment between two animals of opposite natures and habits, related to Mr. Jesse by a person on whose veracity he could depend. The narrator boasted the proprietorship of an alligator which had become so tame that it would follow him up and down stairs; while it was so fond of his cat's society that, when she lay down before the fire, the alligator followed suit, made a pillow of puss, and went off to sleep; and when awake the reptile was only happy so long as puss was somewhere near, turning morose and ill-tempered whenever she left it to its own devices.

Many equine celebrities have delighted in feline companions, following in this the example of their notable ancestor, the Godolphin Arab, between whom and a black cat an intimate friendship existed for years, a friendship that came to a touching end; for, when that famous steed died, his old companion would not leave the body, and, when it had seen it put underground, crawled slowly away to a hay-loft, and, refusing to be comforted, pined away and died.

One of Miss Braddon's heroines says: "It is so nice to see a favorite horse looking over the door of his loose-box, with a big tabby-cat sitting on the window-ledge beside him." The big tabby would probably prefer being on horseback, for puss takes very kindly to the stable, and the horse takes as kindly to puss. A cat belonging to the royal stables at Windsor made herself so agreeable to one of the horses there that, rather than put her to any inconvenience, he would take his night's rest standing. This was held detrimental to his health, and the stable authorities, unable to hit upon any other plan, banished poor pussy to a distant part of the country.

Mr. Huntington, of East Bloomfield, New York, owns a thorough-bred horse named Narragansett and a white cat. The latter was wont to pay a daily visit to Narragansett's stall, to hunt up the mice and then enjoy a quiet nap. Mr. Huntington removed to Rochester with his family, leaving the cat behind; but she complained so loudly and